Custom Carbon & Graphite Machining

12 May

Graphite Degassing System

When discussing materials used in Aluminum Foundries, graphite occupies an important spot, especially when referring to aluminum smelting operations. Graphite Degassing Units are systems used for degassing hydrogen from molten aluminum. During the smelting process of aluminum, or aluminum alloys, hydrogen is produced through a chemical reaction with steam. Diffused throughout the aluminum, it creates voids, and ultimately cause structural defects. It will effectively weaken the casting. To combat this unwanted effect, most aluminum foundries will inject an inert gas, such as nitrogen or argon, which draws the hydrogen out from the aluminum / aluminum alloy. The Graphite Degassing Units...

05 May

What is Graphite?

To understand the myriad applications and benefits of working with graphite, it's important to have a clear understanding of the material we are working with. So, what is graphite?When we talk about graphite in most industrial applications we are discussing synthetic graphite. Synthetic graphite is the crystalline form of carbon. Synthetic graphite is a man made material that is extremely resistant to high temperatures and acidic or basic solutions. Graphite can be engineered to obtain specific properties such as density, electrical resistance, hardness, porosity, compressive strength, flexural strength, coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity. Typically graphite is produced from petroleum...

20 Jan

Is Machining Graphite Plates, Graphite Rods Really for You ?

In many instances we receive requests for basic shapes of graphite. Most of the time, the consumer is looking for graphite rods, or graphite plates. The intent is to machine these basic shapes into finished product. Although, we are service/solutions provider, we are happy to supply our customers with raw graphite materials too. In one of our prior blogs we discussed some aspects related to machining graphite. The prevailing opinion is that any machine shop can machine graphite. And while technically that is correct, when you look at the process in detail you realize that machining graphite is not a...

13 Jan

How to evaluate a graphite sales vendor

When seeking a qualified vendor who specializes in graphite sales it is important to define the scope of work required for your project. Will the project require any computer aided design (CAD), custom machining, material application advise, material specification data or testing samples? Do you have a material grade that is approved but no longer available? If so how do you handle finding a suitable replacement or equivalent? Do you need just bulk material or finished components? Will your project require small lots or immediate delivery? We are constantly inundated with questions from customers who are trying to find the right fit in a graphite...

17 Dec

Graphite Molds and Continuous Casting

Continuous casting is a casting method used in high volume production of metals with a constant cross-section. The method uses an open ended graphite die which is surrounded by a copper jacket. Through which is poured molten metal. The graphite mold is typically water cooled. This allows the molten metal to solidify within the die, the custom solid metal form is then extracted from the mold and pulled/passed through rollers and water sprays. This process removes the heat from the metal, and gradually solidifies it. Graphite is a widely used material in continuous casting. The die molds are generally produced out of graphite. In these types of applications, the types of graphite...